Dean of Student Life Michael Gieseke told the Student Government Association that Wi-Fi issues on campus could be fixed by the university over winter break, but only if students make the university recognize the Wi-Fi issues as an emergency.

Julianne Bailey, SGA graphic designer, has been speaking with Tim Wilson, assistant vice president of information technology, about the current situation with Wi-Fi at Point Park. According to Bailey, students in Conestoga and Boulevard Apartments have been having trouble accessing Wi-Fi.  

According to Wilson, the university already purchased small internet boxes that were supposed to go into rooms to amplify Wi-Fi signals; they were already supposed to be installed. Designer Bailey said that most of Lawrence already has the boxes installed while the Student Center and Blvd Apartments don’t. She continued to talk about inaccessibility to wifi depending on the campus location. “The reason why Wi-Fi is the way it is,” Bailey said, “is because they’re not paying for it. Because we’re supposed to have Pioneer net.” 

“He [Wilson] said that the university already purchased little internet boxes that were supposed to go into each room to amplify Wi-Fi signals,” Bailey said. “According to Wilson the boxes were already supposed to be installed… and most of Lawrence already has the boxes, but the Student Center and Blvd Apartments don’t. But the reason why Wi-Fi is the way it is, is because they’re not paying for it. Because we’re supposed to have Pioneer net.” 

Michal Gieseke was at the meeting and attempted to clear up confusion in the Wi-Fi situation Bailey presented. Allegedly, the Wi-Fi boxes were supposed to already be installed. 

“What I was told, so Lawrence and Thayer have this pioneer Net,” Gieseke said. “Boulevard and Conestoga do not have it, yet. So everybody else still has pioneer login or 802.1x.” 

After his response, Bailey shared more of the student’s Wi-Fi concerns with the dean. 

“The weblog-on is just not working for a lot of people,” she said, “so I don’t know how we’re going to fix that for people who don’t live in Lawrence and Thayer, because it’s not huge. It’s only for a few people, but I don’t know how to fix that. “